CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney has taken a lot of slack for how he handled the quarterback and offensive line situations in the off-season. And deservedly so.

However, if we are going to hammer Clemson’s head coach for those moves, we need to praise him for the ones he made on the defensive side of the ball.

In case you were not paying attention. In last Saturday’s win over North Carolina, it was the Clemson transfers that were making the plays on the defensive side of the ball.

The Tar Heels tested those moves late in the game. Trailing 21-20 with two minutes to play, UNC was faced with a fourth-and-one call at their own 45-yard line.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino decided to get cute instead of running the football right at the Tigers. Up to that point, UNC was averaging 5.5 yards per carry and there was really no reason not to do it at this crucial point in the game.

But you have to wonder if Petrino got to caught up in what happened last year with Clemson’s defense. In 2025, Clemson’s safeties were undisciplined, as they repeatedly got caught with their eyes in the backfield and out of position.

Time and time again you saw busted coverages on the back end of the defense. This was obviously the root of Petrino’s play call. But Clemson intentionally addressed this issue in the transfer portal during the offseason.

With Khail Barnes and Ricardo Jones jumping into the transfer portal, Swinney and defensive coordinator Tom Allen went into the portal and pulled out safeties Jerome Carter III and Corey Myrick.

Both were all conference caliber performers from Group of Six schools Old Dominion and Southern Miss. They were not only talented, but smart.

So, it all came to a head following the two-minute timeout in Death Valley. Fourth-and-one from the 45-yard line. The game on the line. Who was going to win?

Petrino called for a play-action pass, as quarterback Billy Edwards beautifully played out the fake. However, what Edwards and Petrino did not expect was Clemson’s secondary to be waiting on the play.

They ran tight end Jelani Thurman down the middle of the field where he was supposed to be wide open. Instead, Carter was running side-by-side and Edwards’ only option was to make a perfect pass, which he could not.

On the play, UNC was in 13 personnel (three tight ends and one running back). Edwards play faked the ball to running back Demon June, who had to stay in and block a blitzing Sammy Brown.

The primary target on the route was Thurman, who was running right down the middle of the field. He was covered up by Carter. Edwards’ second option was tight end Shamer Easter, who ran a five-yard flat route to the boundary. He was also covered up on the play by Elliot Washington, another 2026 transfer who later sealed the win with an interception.

His third option was tight end Carson Sneed, who stayed in and blocked before releasing and running a two-yard out to the boundary side. He was covered by 2025 transfer linebacker Jermaine Alexander.

Mason Murphy, the only wide receiver in the route, ran a go and was covered up by Ashton Hampton.

Defending that play alone was why the Tigers went to the transfer portal. Bobby Petrino tested what Clemson had done, but Thomas Allen’s pass defense was up to the task.

And Tom Allen and Dabo Swinney deserve all the credit.